The Last Hotel STL

Check out my room here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITTIKrDZ9GI

If the perfect St. Louis getaway to you doesn’t include a chain hotel, be sure to check out the Last Hotel STL.

Located within the city’s Garment District in a renovated art deco-styled building, this boutique hotel tips it’s hat to its history while maintaining modern lodging and style.

The hotel boasts a great location. Not far from clubs, theaters and other venues. And its isolation from other local lodging gives it an exclusive and almost insider vibe.

Parking can be difficult to find. Spaces on the street are shared between the other businesses on the block and can be quite expensive for more than overnight stay. So use the valet service if you have anything better to do than repeatedly drive around in circles.

The staff are very friendly and accommodating. I never had to go looking for someone to get my car or answer a question. They really seem proud of the hotel and enjoy working there.

The Garment District as a whole has yet to be fully developed. So there are not many restaurants nearby. But if you are very nice, they will tell you all the little hang outs to find the best pizza and chicken.  That kind of insider information is worth making friends.

The lobby is very spacious and has lots of seating for casual gatherings, conversations or just hanging out. It also boasts a pool table adjacent to where the lobby-level bar once was.  There was no in-house restaurant or bar available during my stay-although there is space for these-and even signs touting their existence. Even a rooftop bar, which was also missing. Maybe they will open up again soon? Now that I know it once housed a bar, it seems to me a waste of a good rooftop not to put it back.

There are exercise facilities on hand. And the gym and pools (inside and out) are nicer than the ones often offered by chains. But maybe this is just because the hotel doesn’t make it a point to cater to families so it is missing the obligatory amount of urine and the single, abandoned water wing that seems to be a part of every Best Western experience?

The rooms are very stylish and expansive. They are loaded with old architectural features, touches of modern art and lots of windows and natural light.  The views don’t compare to other hotels situated in more picturesque parts of town, but since you can hear everything going on outside the hotel well into the early morning hours, sunrise does seem to make the Last Hotel STL more quiet and peaceful. So there’s that. The bathroom is roomy enough to easily accommodate a family of five The furniture is well spaced for the room. The mattress was meh, but that goes with the trend of so many hotels nowadays. Putting emphasis on what kind of coffee or soap to stock the rooms instead of focusing on how guests will actually sleep.

But no outside sound insulation so you can hear everything.

EVERYTHING.

It’s so close to so many clubs, it is almost impossible to get a quiet night’s sleep-especially on weekends.

From a car door closing to a conversation, all the noise from the street travels straight up the building and right into your room. So if you are a light sleeper, or someone who is sensitive to random shouting, tires squealing and other merriment, pack some ear plugs.

Another great feature of the hotel was the price-much lower compared to other hotels in the area. This might be due to the lack of other common amenities, but my wallet certainly appreciated it.

My takeaway: pack the white noise machine and enjoy.

Do you have a hotel or inn you would like me to review? Let me know on Facebook, Instagram or at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com

The University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center Springfield

Check out my room here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0csEk_wrUHc

Springfield is an multifaceted town, and the city’s hotels have had to be just as versatile to accommodate. Like the University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center. Blocks away from Missouri State University, it is perfectly situated for a variety of activities and events.

From the outside, the hotel lives up to its name as a convention hub.  There is lots of accessible parking. The front desk staff were friendly and efficient as was bar staff. I didn’t see anyone else. But in a building of that size, I can imagine its easy to get lost.

Visitors are captivated almost at once by this spacious, impressive facility. There are multiple meeting and public spaces, two pools (one inside, one out) a nice gym, a restaurant, two outdoor grottos where one can relax beside a fire with light jazz playing, a bar and a coffee shop.

The downside? The room. They too, are spacious, well-organized and convenient for a temporary stay, but they have definitely seen better days! The furnishings, paint and wallpaper are worn and cracked.  The carpet was stained, the mattress completely lacked support. And you can hear EVERYTHING going on outside your room and vice-versa. Think about asking for a room away from other guests if you plan to give that mattress a night to remember.

The air conditioner worked, but the shower’s water temperature was unpredictable. Not exactly the vibrant morning wakeup I’m looking for when on the road. The toilet seat was also left up by housekeeping. Ugh!

My takeaway-go with a LaQuinta.

Do you have a hotel or inn you would like me to review? Let me know on Facebook, Instagram or at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com

Four Points by Sheraton Bentonville

Check out my room here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo3nx3mKngc

When looking for a place to meet, Bentonville, Arkansas has plenty of choices.  At least ten popped up on my first Google search alone. But the Four Points by Sheraton was the one selected for my last road trip into town. And I confess, I kind of wish it wasn’t.

In terms of space and business amenities. The Four Points doesn’t exactly stand out as anything more than another average convention center. There’s wifi, meeting rooms-and plenty of common area to chat while waiting on wifi and meeting rooms.

There is ample parking right outside door. The front desk staff are available and helpful as was housekeeping.  If only you didn’t have to take a 5k hike in order to reach them.

Note to the hotelier: make it easy on visitors. Employ sled dogs.

The hotel’s gym facilities were nice, as were the meeting rooms, common areas, dining area and bar. But nothing remarkable from a convention chain standard.

The in-house restaurant a nice touch. But the menu was really overpriced given the number of dining options up and down the same strip.

Guests were spaced out well for privacy. The rooms are quiet, clean and well organized. The bathroom was also clean with an adequate number of towels to get you by.  There was a small coffee bar in the room-a little too small to meet my caffeine demands on the road, and a mini fridge.

But no microwave, what the heck?

The bed and mattress were of the average type worthy of no more description than an unenthusiastic meh.

My takeaway: nice place to meet, but stay elsewhere.

Do you have a hotel or inn you would like me to review? Let me know on Facebook, Instagram or at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com

The Hotel Phillips

Check out the room here! https://youtu.be/CbNKmAYSEEY

This just in…I found a Hilton Hotel I actually like!

If you didn’t know better, the Hotel Phillips in Kansas City is precisely the kind of boutique hotel I look to for a one-of-a-kind getaway.

The hospitality experience begins the moment you pull up to the hotel. Just outside the building, we were greeted by an amazing valet who, in spite of our arrival during their peak check-in hours, handled the traffic with the precision of a surgeon. No one waited inside their car for more than a few minutes. In spite of flying through vehicles as fast as they pulled up, the young man greeted us warmly, handed us a ticket, and informed us our car would be available should we need it again with an estimated ten minute’s notice.

Out of curiosity (and to compare it to other Get A Room destinations like the Hyatt Regency at the Arch, where parking is advertised as an amenity but doesn’t always deliver) I asked what the parking availability was like on weekends such as ours. Pleased to talk shop, if only for a moment, the valet replied that there were plenty of openings and that they are well organized to keep things moving. Nice.

The building itself is regal and swanky, not at all like your average franchise locations. Upon entering the expansive lobby, the architectural details, grand stair case and art deco design take you back to the Roaring Twenties. The hospitality staff are just as welcoming and professional as the ones working outside, and they truly seem to enjoy working there. I noticed a level of peaceful contentment among them that is completely absent at the St. Louis Union Station.

Pay attention, Union Station! You can do better by them!

Even the elevator, dining areas and common spaces carried this theme-making them an interesting option for special events and parties.  As with other logistics, care was taken to insure guests were well-spaced both for dining and overnight stays. There was a wedding party staying at the hotel during my stay and aside from brushing into them a couple times as we entered and exited, my companions and I barely noticed they were there.

The room itself was clean and well furnished with ample electrical plugs. The bathroom was clean and spacious enough to accommodate more than one person easily. The living area was different than I expected. The television was spaced well and on a stand which allowed it to be turned around for viewing from the bed (a really handy and space-saving feature more hotels should pick up) and there the ample glassware was clean and free of dust. But there was no mini-fridge, WTH?!

The shower was a bit touchy and tended to be on the scalding side of hot. So parents may want to be aware before letting little ones operate it unsupervised. I did notice the carpet was stained. But it appeared to be from regular use and nothing to suggest one should avoid bringing a blacklight into the room. 

Like other Hilton Curio’s, many of the room’s amenities were available for an extra charge-like the $3 bottles of water or the $40 bottle of hotel-branded locally distilled whiskey. I would really like to see Hilton find a different way to hawk their Rewards program than to charge such a ridiculous sum for a bottle of non-Fiji water-like maybe better discounts or less advertisements featuring Paris?

The in-house restaurant was also priced in accordance to Hilton brand and not necessarily with the quality of the meals, but there are plenty of better restaurants to enjoy within walking distance. And the speakeasy downstairs was a bit loud for my enjoyment, but it was very popular. The hotel’s website and literature prominently broadcast that reservations are preferred. But  given the number of visitors turned away during my time at the bar, they should just go ahead and say they are required as it filled up quickly. 

My takeaway: forget it’s a Hilton and enjoy the stay!

Do you have a hotel you would like me to review? Tell me about it @ toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com

The Hyatt Regency at the Arch

Check out my room here! https://youtu.be/KTiuZtOcwys

Staying downtown is a one-of-a-kind experience in every city, but with its famous arch, St. Louis stands out. Naturally, there are a couple of hotels that take advantage of their views of the structure. Not the least of which is the Hyatt Regency at the Arch.

Located within walking distance, the building itself stands out.  Its regal architecture giving a graceful nod to the city’s heritage.  At night, the view from the Arch-sided rooms is stunning. But they do cost extra, so you might want to consider the splurge for a special occasion or when you have time to explore the city properly.

Aside from the grand, almost cavernous lobby, its three full-service restaurants and a Starbucks, my experience as a guest was disappointing. The front desk staff are efficient, if not slightly inexperienced. When I asked to pay in advance for Erin’s valet service (more about that in a moment), the young man behind the counter looked at me puzzled before replying that I could only do that if I was paying for an extra room.

That’s not true, and another member of the department quickly stepped in to remedy the situation, but it was still an odd response.

The valet and guest services staff were also very helpful and approachable, but housekeeping was meh. They seemed to stock towels and toiletries in my room consistently, but routinely overlooked hair and toilet paper-two things I am less willing to forgive. As a frequent traveler with a tight schedule, I want to spend my time focusing on my trip-not rationing toilet paper and pondering the origins of some random body hair stuck to the shower.

While the bed was made and fresh towels and coffee pods were left out, the room was noticeably dingey. The nightstands weren’t wiped down, the shower curtain was covered in soap and strands of hair were scattered about.  I reported this to a very nice man at the guest services desk and when I returned later, the shower curtain had been replaced, but the hair remained.

Sigh.

The coil mattress was unremarkable (for a Super 8, that is) and not at all worthy of the prestigious chain and its inflated prices.  And I noticed several general upkeep issues as well-far more than I expected for a global chain. Not all of the lights worked in my room, the water pressure for both the shower and toilet were poor-resulting in double flushes and less than satisfying showers. The rooms were not very well insulated and resulted in my hearing every guest and maintenance person that walked by.  

The HVAC system was also sub-par. The room felt clammy and uncomfortable. The only way to counter its excessive humidity was to increase the temperature, leaving me with the choice of either feeling sweaty or soggy.

Also, no self-parking was available the entire length of my stay-which was understandable for an evening or a special event, but days without access to this amenity resulted in an automatic fee hikes for valet services that really should have been comped by the hotel. In the hospitality business, if you offer it, you should be prepared to provide it.  The lower-end hotels manage to do this just fine.

My takeaway: Just stay at the Super 8 and use the savings to see the Arch up close.

Do you have a hotel you would like me to review? Send me a line at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com

The Brut Hotel

Check out my room here! https://youtu.be/72kJAOJGemM

Many take weekend getaways as a way to escape and unwind.

Not me. I’ve got a story around every corner I’m dutifully working to release!

But while staying at the perfect hotel is essential for the success of any mini vacation, not many are aware of the wide variety available. Like the Brut Hotel in Tulsa.

Nestled in the heart of the city, the Brut sits almost as an oasis. Located across from the hotel is a park which offers a calm green, almost picturesque compliment. Its natural surroundings and minimalist, Zen vibe let visitors know immediately this is no random Hilton or Hyatt.

I didn’t take advantage of the available valet services. But with ample public parking available right next to the hotel, there really wasn’t any need to. The front desk staff was very helpful and efficient. They moved quickly to check me in and then were out of the way.

The room and bathroom were very spacious. There was an oversized kitchenette counter that took up most of the wall opposite the bed. The television was well-spaced as were the other furnishings. The room’s amenities followed a design plan identical to the public spaces.  There were lots of woven grass baskets and block prints scattered throughout the room.

One unexpected feature I noticed right away was the absence of a coffee pot.  This was replaced by an electric tea kettle and generous sized ceramic mugs. Coffee at the Brut is steeped just like the tea, which I found relaxing and not at all alarming.

There was also a pair of ear plugs placed on the nightstands, like some hotels leave a mint. It was an odd detail. I really didn’t see a need for them. The hotel was quiet enough not to warrant them.

The bathroom was also very roomy. The vanity was large enough to easily accommodate more than one guest. Baskets on the floor held extra towels and a hair dryer. The closet contained space for some clothing and 2 robes, inviting guests to immerse themselves and unwind. The shower was a little tiny, given the amount of space available. But was still efficient and given the number of places one can go to stretch their legs, was forgivable.

I was very impressed with the fitness center located in the basement. By hotel standards, it is stellar! It included a peloton bike, gym quality rowing machine, free weights and treadmills.

I didn’t have the opportunity to try out the Brut’s in-house spa located right next door, but it was well advertised with fliers in the common areas and in the room itself. Nor did I use the hotel’s shuttle service, but it remained just outside the hotel’s front entry, readily available.

But the rooftop bar and restaurant were great and were sophisticated and comfortable. The meals were tasty and reasonably priced as were the cocktails. There was also a nice assortment of local beers on tap. Diners on the rooftop patio were treated to a great view of the city below. There was also a nice grotto behind the hotel for guests who preferred to unwind a little closer to the ground.

Additional activities are also advertised regularly. During my stay, they were holding yoga classes on Saturday mornings when the bar was closed and had just wrapped up a wellness festival the weekend before.

The coffee bar located next to the front desk was also surprisingly nice for a hotel amenity. It’s outfitted like a small craft coffee shop and staffed with a legitimate barista. It also serves a small assortment of gourmet pastries for the traveler who wants to grab a quick bite before heading back out on the road. 

Despite all these extras, the cost of the stay was very reasonable compared to the other higher-tier hotels in the city. And it certainly surpassed many of them.

My takeaway: put the phone on Do Not Disturb, grab your comfy clothes and settle in for a relaxing getaway.

Do you have a hotel you would like me to review? Send me a line at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com